Flashing signal system for motor vehicles



FLASING SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11, 1936. i H .F THElLACKER 2,030,664

FLASHING SIGAL SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed March 18, 1935 2 ,Sheets-Sheet( 2 F/. Z. F1615 BY l1/ ATTORNEY.

This s invention relates `to hashing"` signal .sys-

tems for: motor. vehicles, f, .and v, particularly z'toa ashingstop 'light arrangement for 1 automobiles.

nately ashedgcr energized. i LA' further objectis tofprovidera"systemeof this character having means jfor informingythe oper `2Theprimaryobject of the invention LisftolprovideV a thermostatically controlled;- signal`l` circuit by: which a pair i of i `electric lamps `mayxybe :altere atorf'ofthe v'ehicle `oi `the operation offthefiiaslr-v ing signals andof the sourceof trouble `orifailure-v i when suchvoccurs in the system.;

A further object is A witha pair offflashing signals and a pair ofA aux- A g Figure 2-is afview 't y i Figure 1" isi a diagrammaticr `view :of` the signal iliaryz: signals 4each `operatively :associated with one of `said flashing signals to be energizedupon the energizing of the associated flashing signall u 'A` further `object is ltoprovide la signal system including a signal and aniassociated indicator,

i said signal including vthermally responsive means forcontrolling saidxindicator.` i n f 1A `iurtherobject `is to provide fa vsignal system including an electric lamp having a lame'ntgfa thermally responsveymemberfrand anconductor,V Vsaid thermal member beingy actuable i for contact with said lament and saidfconductor.` .1

.Other objectsV i :be :apparent y from i theki scrpti'on andthe appendedclaims.` l, 1

in side .feierationillustra.` nog one form of `signal element, the electrical com'iec` tions inthe plug thereof-being-vdiagrammaticaliy Shwn.

Figure 3 is another side view of the signal elesystem.

ment; `taken 1atright1anglesgto Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a ment.

Figure 5 is a side view of another form ot signal element used in the system, the electrical connections in the plug thereof being diagrammatically illustrated.

Figure 6 is aside view of the signal element taken at right anglesto Figure 5.

Figure 'I is a top plan viewof the signal eletop plan'view ofthe signal elementshowninriguresand.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates an operating battery suitably grounded at V2 at one terminal. The other battery ter' minal has a conductor 3 connected therewith, therebeingasuitablefuselinterposedinsaid conductor. A suitable control switch 5 is also interposed in conductor 3, said operable to energize the signal, and

switch being to provide armotor `vehicle being preferisrs'rEM For.;

ably-connected within-the" brakei pedal`4` when" the signal" systemiis tofA be4 used forfan automobile stop signali; l :The signal elements lcomprise 1 the electric r ylampsvi` f6 1 and` 1, i which are i'preferably mountedat oppositesidesfofxthefrea of the ve hiclegzd'j :N 'Thenelectric lampy 6' comprisesv aiconventional` plug member `8` carrying:V a glass: globe '.9i "within ,'.Which` is ,disposedwa' glass stem llrextending ,from plug 8 to azpoint,substantiallylcentrally of the globe? yas is conventional i in the :l art. l 'LA conduc# and is adaptedto belconnectedlwithline 3 in any suitable manner." `A thermallyi'actuablemember "I2 having one ofvits endsf'imbeddedin 'the stem'l Illlnahd electrical] d,connected With-conductorl'l l, extends from sai stemandiis bent substantially in` U-shapev with vrits Yiree endispaced from said stem. fiA'lament I3 :disposed in ltheAglobe,

one endV thereof beingconnected with aconductor 20 Il ,extending V.through the stem! and plugfand* be" ing grounded at 15. The'otheriend of iila'ment I isno'rmally engaged by a contactl'portion i liucar-` ried by 1thelfree end of v thermi'ilaiiiember'` IL A vconductor l1 extends through vthe-.stem andgplug from thelast named endoif the i:`llament.LA` ,cont-c ductor Il alsoextends throughthelplugandstem and terminates at its innergend ina; contact por-Ku tionfl normally spaced andinsulated from the thermalgmember cl2, contact il 6 thereof; Land thev fllamentnq; i' f 'I u A line 2l is connectedlwith conductora-I8` of. lamp 6 and extends tolamp `v`1.a.'Iheflanip .l also` comprises a plug; 8,5glass globe-8 :and glass stem l I, -a Aconductor l2l si extending;` through saidV plug'vland lstem yand suitablym connected u to l 4 line 2mn-:Atlus innerend conductorZLiscone` nected with one end of a lament 22 whose other end is connected to conductor 23 extending through the stem and plug and grounded at 24. A thermally actuable member 25 is xedly mounted at one end of the lamp stein and is of substantially Ushape with its free end spaced from said stem and from said lament, said thermal :member 25 being electrically connected with conductor 2| by means oi a conductor 26. A conductor 21 extends through the lamp plug and stem and carries a contact portion 28 projecting from said stem in spaced relation'to said thema] member.

It will thus be seen that upon operation of the control switch 5, as by depressing the brake pedal of a vehicle, a circuit is closed from battery I through line 3 to lamp '6, causing the lament I3 of said lamp to be energized. As said iilament thermal member I2, contact i9, conductor I3,

and line 20 to conductor 2| and filament 22 of lamp 1. The energizing of filament '22 generates'J heat whichactuates thermal member 25 to shift the vsame into engagement with contact 28 of conductor 21. The circuit energizing lament 22 is maintained until the lamp 6 coolssufilciently to contract and actuate thermal member I2 of lamp 3 to shift fromcontact I9 thereof to open the circuit to lamp 1 and subsequently causecontact I3 of thermal member I2 to engage iilament I3 toagain energize said ament |3. In this way the lamps 3 and 1 are a rnatelyl energized or iiashed as long as switch 5- is c1osed.

Mounted in the interior of thevehicle, as on aninstrument panel thereof, designated as 30, are a pair of electric lamps 3| and 32. The lamps 3| and 32 are positioned adjacent suitable lens 33mounted in suitable bezels 34 supported by instrument panel 33. The filament 35 of lamp 3| is grounded at 36 at one end and is connected at its other end to a line 31 which also hasconnection with conductor I1 of 4lamp 6,. Thus when the filament I3 of lamp 3 is energized, the rilament 35 of lamp 3| is simultaneously energized. 'I'he iilament 33 of lamp 32 is grounded at '39 at one of its 'ends and is connected at its .other end to a. line lll which has connection with conductor 21 oi' lamp 1. Thus when the lament 22 of lamp 1 is energized and heated, thermal member 25 of said lamp -shifts into engagement with contact 23, and filament 33 of lamp 32 is ener gized. Thus the operator ofthe vehicle is informed by means of the flashing of auxiliary lamps 3| and.32 regarding the operation of the signal lamps 6 and 1. In the eventthe filament |3 of lamp 5 fails, whereby the thermal member I3 remains unactuated, the lamp 3| will burn continuously during theA time switch 5 is closed, thus indicating the seat of the trouble as being in lamp 6. In the event the filament 22 of lamp 1 fails, the thermal member 25 of said lamp consequently being unactuated, the lamp 33 will not flashJ` thus locating the source of the trouble as being in lamp 1. 'I'hus the auxiliary lamps 3| 'and 32 serve to inform the operator regarding the condition of 4lamps 6 and 1 and to localize the trouble in"the system Vwhen such occurs.

nal lamps each having a filament and a ther The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as-new and useful is:-

1. A signal system comprising twoelectric sigmally responsive-member, said lamps being connected to be alternately energized under the control of, the thermally responsive member of one lwhich it is paired.

means connecting 4lamp with the filament and thermally responsive of said lamps, an nuxiuary nected to the iilamentyof said control lamp to lamp electrically con- I be energized simultaneously therewith, and an' f auxiliary lamp controlled by the thermally responsive member of the other signal lamp.

2. A signal system comprising'two connectedy electric signal lamps each including a thermally responsive member, said lamps being alternately iiashed under thecontrol of the thermally re- 7 sponsive member of one of said lamps, and auxiliary electric lamps connected inA pairs with said` signal lamps and each controlled by the thermally responsive member of the signal lamp with 3. A signal system comprisingl a pair oflamps each including a filament, a conductor spaced from said filament, and a thermally responsive member; the thermally responsive member of one lamp being connected with a source of power. the conductor of said nrst member of the second lamp, an auxiliary electric lamp connected with the filament of the first lamp, and a second auxiliary electric lamp connected with thev conductor ofsaid second lamp.

4. A'signal system comprising two electric signal lamps each having' a filament, a thermally responsive member associated with the iirst of said lamps for alternately :lashing said lamps,

two auxiliary lamps, and means for connecting said" auxiliary lamps to said signal lamps in pairs to energize an auxiliary lamp when the signal lamp paired therewith is energized, including a] thermally responsive member energized by the' second signal lamp to `close the circuit to its auxiliary lamp. o V 5. In a signal system, an electric lamp having 'a filament, a conductor spaced from said ilia-l ment, anda thermally responsive member connected with asource of power and normally engaging said nlament; and a second lamp connected to the conductor of the first lamp, said thermally responsive member being shiftable into engagement with said conductor to' energize said second lamp and deenergize said first lamp periodically. 1

'6. A signal system comprising a line connected with a source of current; a signal lamp comprising a filament, a spacedconductor, and a, thermally responsive member connected to said line and normally engaging said vfilament; an auxiliary lamp connected to said lamp filament; a second signal lamp comprising a nlament and a thermally responsive member connected to said conductor in parallel, and a conductor normally spaced from said thermally responsive member;

conductor of said second signal lamp.

HANS F. 69 

